Image: AFP
Germany won a comfortable 3-0 victory against Hungary as Brazilian-born Cacau scored his third goal in two games for his adopted country.
Lukas Podolski and Mario Gomez were also goalscorers in the penultimate friendly match for Germany before the World Cup.
With Germany captain Michael Ballack ruled out of next month’s World Cup through injury and substitute Philipp Lahm rested, Bayern Munich striker Miroslav Klose took the captaincy in Budapest.
German midfielder Sami Khedira replaced Ballack in midfield with an impressive performance before being taken off with a minor muscle injury in the second half. Had it not been for a string of saves during the first half by Hungarian keeper Gabor Kiraly, Germany’s goal tally would have been much higher.
Podolski fired a penalty shot into the top right hand corner four minutes after defender Per Mertesacker was fouled in the area.
It finished 1-0 at the break and early in the second-half national coach Joachim Loew brought on Stuttgart striker Cacau for midfielder Mesut Oezil, who had several first-half shots on goal saved.
Mario Gomez, also a substitute, added another goal from close range on 69 minutes, after being set up by Marko Marin. In a solo effort on 72 minutes, Cacau ran onto a clearance to tap home his shot and seal a convincing display from Germany.
